Don't forget the SALT telescope is very closely based on the Design of the Hobby-Ebberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory. Since Pamela is a U of Texas alum, you could get in trouble for this
I have had the good fortune of visiting several of the big telescopes including the Hobby-Ebberly Telescope, Keck, and Gemini North (as part of my job if you can believe that!) And I have observed with the Green Bank Telescope.
I would like to hear a show on the developments in radio astronomy sometime...VLBA, LOFAR, ALMA and the like.
Rob